**Details specific to the controllers pictured below
is at the bottom of this text.

The Model 1650 'Mega Drive Control Pad' game pad is
the standard controller which was sold with the SEGA Mega Drive game
console.

It is a pretty standard directional pad affair with
three action buttons and a 'Start' button. The controller is more
notable for being one of the first game pads to break the rectangular
brick design and go with a more comfortable, rounded and ergonomic
style.

The 1650 links to the Mega Drive by a standard nine
pin, D-Sub, non preparatory connector. It does not however conform to
the 'Atari 2600' wiring / switch standard which the Master System's
controllers did as the 1650 controller contains some 'smarts'. This
means that while the Mega Drive is, for the most part, backwards
compatible with Master System games with the use of a converter, some
games require the player to unplug the 1650 controller and plug in a
Master System one for the games to work properly.

When the Mega Drive was re-released as the smaller
Mega Drive II the controllers were given a red Start button making them
easy to distinguish from the original Mega Drive release versions. It
looks like the Genesis II ones might have all had a blue Start button
but I'm yet to confirm if that was release wide.

SEGA also released a six button version to coincide
with the release of CAPCOM's 'Street Fighter II: Special Champion
Edition'. Please see other page on this site for details.

**The controllers below were manufactured in China
and Taiwan; the Taiwanese variations are highlighted in dark blue. The
most noticeable differences are the stamping on the inside of the front
plate shell, the button contacts on the PCB and that the Taiwanese
version does not have a printed 'Toshiba' chip. Less interesting is that
the screws that hold the shell together were on the Taiwanese
manufactured version had smaller threads.